


irons in the fire

by deuteroscopies



Series: the prophet and the king [8]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Branding, Demonic Possession, F/M, M/M, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:28:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21595381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deuteroscopies/pseuds/deuteroscopies
Summary: Iann gets Freddie and Ruby together to help brand the magical demon sigil and seal it onto Ephram's flesh. It's ... an ordeal.(At this point Freddie & Ephram are involved with a human woman named Ruby. Iann Cardero FC = Pedro Pascal; Ruby Johnson FC = Kate Beckinsale.)
Relationships: Freddie Watts/Ephram Pettaline
Series: the prophet and the king [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1551673





	irons in the fire

**Author's Note:**

> > Freddie Watts = Tom Hardy FC, Ephram Pettaline = Boyd Holbrook FC. These stories are set in the supernatural town of Soapberry Springs, in the Pacific Northwest. Freddie is a fairy con man from London, with cobalt-coloured dragonfly wings and silver fairy dust, who has a Japanese Chin familiar named Oliver; Ephram is a witch from impoverished East Kentucky who shares his body with a demon called Anaxis and has green magic of his own.
>> 
>> [the prophet and the king 'verse tumblr](http://theprophetandtheking.tumblr.com/)  
> 

Iann had everything set up ahead of time, although in truth there wasn’t too much to set up. More it was Iann taking an inventory of the situation. Himself: a human, loosely defined demonologist. Ruby: a human, Ephram’s love-partner, Southern, a blood doll, once married, abuse survivor…Iann didn’t really know much else about her. Freddie: Ephram’s love-partner, British, con-man, marked by the demon during an attempt to use his dust magic to heal. And then there was Ephram. Iann knew enough about the witch that he didn’t need to figure that out. The iron brand was in the incinerator, the basement warm already on this summer evening. No one else was in the house; Iann didn’t want any wild cards, nothing untoward.  
  
He’d done some digging into the whole three-seals and triad of people - witch, human, fae - and that was enough to get Iann thinking. Demons, after all, had very specific ways about them - and holy people were sometimes instrumental in their downfall. Anaxis didn’t choose a man steeped in Baptism and witchcraft randomly, after all. There was an attraction there.  
  
Tonight had a two-fold purpose for Iann: get the second seal onto Ephram, using the iron brand. And then get some final theories solidified for the final and third seal. That would take more planning than jabbing hot iron onto the man’s skin. It wouldn’t happen tonight. But if Iann got the answers he was hoping for, the third seal could be completed soon and swiftly. And the third seal would remove the demon’s mark from Freddie, push back Anaxis and keep Ruby safe. Triple-whammy. If, of course, Iann’s theories were correct. He couldn’t deny that it was exciting in how unprecedented it all was.  
  
Ephram had been quiet all day. He’d wanted to be around Ruby and Freddie, but didn’t want to talk or even be physically close to them much, just … wanted to hear them breathing, moving around, talking. To listen and know that they were his, and he was theirs, and they’d be there through this whole ordeal. The golden mark on his hip felt like the fairy dust inside it was moving around and scratching, even thought Ephram knew logically that couldn’t be the case, even though he saw Freddie unconsciously rub his hand against his hip like the brand was itching him, too.  
  
It was a relief when the time finally came to meet Iann in the basement of his occult shop, Mal Ojo. It was only then, outside in the loading bay where they’d parked, that Ephram spoke more than a few words to the other two. “I know neither of you got arm-twisted into this,” he began, “and I know you love me and want me safe. But all the same it would be amiss for me not to let you know that you don’t gotta do this. I won’t love you no less.” He was pretty sure that neither of them would take the out, not at this point. But he had to get it off his chest anyhow.  
  
Ruby had noticed Ephram’s need for distance, so didn’t say anything herself. More than anything, she wanted to go to him, comfort him, but she kept her distance, knowing it was what he needed right now. She figured he was working through what was going to happen later tonight, the implications of it. What it could mean for him. For Freddie. For her too. Even Iann, who would be laying the mark. Ruby could see Freddie’s nervousness too. The way his fingers gathered into a fist. The way he would shake it off when he realized what he was doing. But she stayed close to him, still quiet, but there. The car ride over was silent, the air heavy with… something Ruby couldn’t name. Not dread. But… something. Ruby held Freddie’s hand tight as they stopped and Ephram spoke the first words he’d said all night. Letting go of Freddie’s hand, she slowly took Ephram’s. It was the first time she’d touched him nearly all day. “Hush, now,” she said soothingly. “Ain’t nothin’ for it. If you’re in it, we’re in it, yeah?” She pressed his knuckles to her mouth and looked back at Freddie, still standing silent.  
  
Ruby was terrified for all of them. Ephram, for having to face the second brand over the still tender first one that Faye had laid down, and potentially the demon’s anger. Freddie, with all his worldliness and quick wit and intelligence, having to deal with something as soul-sucking and potentially damaging as Anaxis’ mark and the pain it was going to cause Ephram. She worried that he wouldn’t NOT be able to interfere if Ephram was hurting too much, if he cried out for help during the process, she couldn’t say that Freddie would say 'sod it’ and rush in. And Ruby was scared for herself. The unknown of the third seal still weighed heavily on her, and only a few days out from being filled full of birdshot by her murderous ex-husband, Ruby still felt physically weak, still carried the marks and bruises, though she wouldn’t say a word about it. This was about Ephram. And Ruby knew that she’d have to be the one to be strong, to not give in even if he begged her too. To keep Freddie from giving in. It had to be done; Iann had to finish without interruption, that much she knew.  
  
Ruby nodded at Ephram. Her mouth pressed tight against all the things she wanted to say, here and now, before it began. “No secrets.” Looking away, she worked her lip with her teeth, debating on the one thing she had left that she hadn’t told him. “I don’t know it if matters, but… couple o’ months back, I… I thought I was pregnant. Even took a test. I wasn’t, obviously, and I don’t plan on being’ scared like that again, but… I just thought you should know. Freddie knows, so…” Ruby shrugged, knowing it didn’t make a damn bit of difference since the end results had been the same, but she wasn’t leaving anything to chance. 

Ephram blinked, his hand squeezing Ruby’s back automatically even though he was still processing the things she’d said. “You thought you was pregnant?” Ephram asked, a perplexed look on his face. “When was this? Whose baby would it have been? I mean if in fact you _was_ pregnant.”  
  
Ruby nodded, swallowing. “I… yeah. It wasn’t long after all that happened with Anaxis, so… I only slept with Freddie that one time. It woulda had to of been yours…” Her voice hitched at the end, and she had to look away to wipe her eyes. "You was already goin’ through so much, I didn’t wanna lay that on you too. Not when it didn’t matter no way.“  
  
Ephram’s mouth opened and closed a few times. "It would…” he started, but then shook his head. Not now.  
  
Ruby’s face fluttered in confusion, and her mouth opened to ask what he’d meant to say, but he shook his head. The conversation was one they couldn’t have now. Ruby turned to Freddie as he shifted behind them.  
  
Freddie had no idea what to say. They already knew all his secrets, and never had he felt more like an interloper than he did now. So he just stood there, watching, as his palm itched and ached, hoping they knew how much he loved them. How sorry he was that he’d inadvertently brought them to this place with the demon, drawing it out into the waking world again.  
  
“C'mon, baby.” Ephram held out his hand to Freddie, not wanting him to feel like a spectator in all this. “Time to go in. All for one, right?” He smiled, and although it wasn’t the most convincing of expressions, he did feel a little better having them together.  
  
Ruby reached out to Freddie too, pulling him towards them, not wanting him to be on the outside. Every word she’d said had been meant for him too. “One for all,” Ruby smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.  
  
Freddie nodded, forcing the ghost of a smile, and took their hands, squeezing gently. “Always,” he said. “Now let’s get this over with.”  
  
The way down to the basement was a familiar one to Ephram, from all the potion moonshine he’d delivered to the shop. This time it was warm right inside the door, getting hotter all the way down, and when they reached the basement it was obvious why; Iann had the incinerator stoked like the fires of Hell. A fitting image, Ephram thought sourly. “We’re here,” he announced, his voice flat. The mark on his hip was aching and he rubbed at it with the heel of his hand.  
  
Ruby stroked her hand down Ephram’s back as they entered the suffocatingly hot basement. She didn’t know when she’d get to touch him again tonight, and she wanted to lend what support she could while she was able. Sweat already dotted her brow, rolling down her back and between her breasts, making her glad that she’d opted for a dress instead of jeans. She squeezed Freddie’s hand, unconsciously moving into him.  
  
Freddie noticed the way Ephram was touching himself, and the expression in his eyes - knowing it was hurting him - but there was nothing he could do and he knew it, so he gathered Ruby closer, and clenched his ruined hand into a fist; doing everything he could to resist his impulse to reach for Ephram too. He was supposed to be different; and it was more of a struggle than he’d ever thought possible. “Iann love?” he said, still not seeing the other man, “…where the bloody hell are you?”  
  
Iann heard them marching down the stairs one after the other, and he really couldn’t help but feel a little like Hephaestus down here, with his goggles and rubber apron on, and huge thick leather gloves. Safety first after all. But when Iann turned to look at the trio, he raised his goggles up, snapping them to his hairline. From Ruby, to Ephram, and then lingering for a moment on Freddie’s face. Iann took them all in, in the space of a couple seconds, and then the man burst into a grin. “What’s with all the gloomy pusses? We’re doing good work here, friends and compadres. The second brand - ” Iann looked over at Ephram. “It’s going to hurt, but - hey, you’re pretty fucking familiar with that pain by now, hm?” He chuckled, as if that was some sort of a joke. “Alright. I have rules down here, and you have to listen to me very carefully. Dealing with demons need particulars.” Iann paused, looking between Freddie and Ruby and wondering if they’d decided on telling Ephram yet, but. At this point, it didn’t really matter did it? The brand was going on no matter what, and everyone was in agreement about that, except perhaps the demon. “You guys want anything? Ah…water? There’s an industrial sink outside, feel free to help yourself.”  
  
Ephram made a low, rolling growl in his throat – not directed at anybody in particular, just plain old animal discomfort – and said, “Generally, you water the horses _after_ you brand em.” He took off his t-shirt and then undid his belt buckle, pushing his jeans down to expose the first seal. It was scarred golden, and there was something else that seemed to flick along the lines of the rune, something that evaded the eye, fleet and capricious. “Anything else I gotta do? Or they gotta do?”  
  
Ruby’s face tightened a bit at Iann’s joviality, not thinking it a laughing matter at all. But, in a strange way she thanked him for it. It took away some of the seriousness, the bleakness, of which she, Freddie, and Ephram had in spades, despite the fragile hope that flittered inside all of them. Ruby shook her head, watching as Ephram took of his clothes. “Iann… tell him first,” she said quickly. She squeezed Freddie’s hand.  
  
Freddie just tightened his fist, not liking the look of Ephram’s brand, and afraid to examine his own any closer; and then startled at Ruby’s words to Iann, looking at her with wide eyes. “Now, love?“  
  
"Yes now,” she said a bit sharply. “We agreed, remember? No secrets.”  
  
Ephram for his part didn’t even seem cognizant of this exchange between his lovers; he was looking down at the mark on his hip, fingertips trailing over the lines of it, licking his lips over and over like a rabbit in a snare. “No secrets,” he agreed, but in a faraway voice.  
  
Freddie sighed. “You’re right, darling. I’m sorry. No secrets.” He turned to Ephram and touched him gently on the shoulder. “Sweetheart…there’s something you need to know…”  
  
Ephram looked up at Freddie’s touch. “I’m sterile,” he announced, suddenly. “I use magic. So’s I don’t get nobody pregnant.”  
  
Freddie gaped at Ephram, not sure what to do with that. “I…alright, love…but that’s not…we can talk about that later, yeah?”  
  
Ruby blanched, her face going paler that it already was. There it was. The choice that would never matter. Ruby swallowed, and despite the situation, she had to look away and take a step back behind Freddie.  
  
Iann tugged his reading glasses out of his pockets, bending down to study the golden brand. He probably should have inspected it before, but between Ruby’s visit and Freddie’s news about the demon mark, Iann had neglected to do this one detail. He took the moment now, peering at it, his hands stretching at Ephram’s skin as if he was a doctor looking at a mole growth. “It’s there,” Iann said, and he sounded almost satisfied. “The demon is lurking, stupid bastard. It’s fucking roving in there, hm? Strong fucking brand, this golden ley magic. Faye did good work here, I mean. All things considered.” Iann looked up at Ephram. “Nothing worth doing unless it’s done hard, right?"  
  
He straightened up, watching Freddie and Ruby and waiting patiently. As he did, Iann studied the pair. Ruby looked wild-eyed, like she was coming apart at the seams. Her weakness, this lowkey hysteria of hers, that catapulted her straight towards danger. Was it a self-fulfulling prophecy of sorts? And then there was Freddie - dulled, toneless, wilted. Nothing like the Freddie Watts who Iann knew from before, sparkling vivacity. He was…greyed out and boring. Iann looked pleased, giving Freddie a nod. He opened his mouth to speak, but then Pettaline brought up how his babymaker was dead and Iann blinked. "So…I should tell him then?” Iann didn’t wait for an answer; instead he grabbed Pettaline’s shoulder and turned the man towards him. “Pettaline, look at me.” When Ephram managed that, Iann rattled off everything that he’d speculated, about Anaxis’ pull and sway, using Ephram’s pain and decisions for its own advantages, infecting Freddie with the demon’s mark and so forth.  
  
Ephram waited until Iann was done, his face closing off into a blank mask. Then he stepped out of Iann’s grasp almost delicately and went over to Freddie and Ruby, taking Freddie’s hand and inspecting it. “So this was Anaxis’ doing,” he said, voice tight. “This is what the demon planned. To scorch a part of itself into Freddie and use him like a fucking meat puppet.”  
  
Freddie sighed. “So it seems,” he said softly. “It wanted me to heal you, and I…couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t watch you suffer like that.”  
  
Ruby kept a tight hold of Freddie’s other hand as she watched Iann spill everything, and as Ephram came up and inspected his marked one. She’d pushed away her shock and the feeling of stupidity that lay over her like a cloud. This was where she needed to be right now. Not off in her head. “We almost didn’t tell you,” Ruby admitted. “Didn’t want it to make anything… to… to hurt you anymore than you was already hurt.”  
  
A smile lifted one corner of Ephram’s mouth as he looked at Freddie, a twitch, really. “Y'know,” he murmured, “you’re really a helluva lot more soft-hearted than you think you are.” He didn’t let go of Freddie’s hand, though, listening to Ruby’s added explanation. “It’s awright,” Ephram told them both. “Darlins, I been hurt so much it don’t even make a dent no more. At least this time I got you both, huh?” He looked over at Iann. “So. How do we do this?”  
  
Ruby couldn’t help it. She curved her hand over Ephram and Freddie’s joined ones, pressing her face to Freddie’s shoulder. Ruby would step into the fire herself if it would save Ephram and Freddie from the demon. But all she could do now was watch. And wait. And pray.  
  
Freddie slid his arm around Ruby, holding her close, and tried not to think about what would happen when he was forced to let go of Ephram’s hand.  
  
Iann folded his arms and meandered in a circle around them while the three partners worked out…whatever they needed to work out. Iann was surprised the most at Pettaline right now. Freddie’s and Ruby’s separate assessments, though somewhat dire, were also considerably more in line with the truth than Iann had thought. Pettaline seemed much more ready and sturdy than the other two. Who were, Iann had to admit, fraying by the minute. It made Iann a little angry. _Anaxis_ did this. The demon made Ephram’s support group, these two who Pettaline touted as the two who could truly help him out of this pit into wobbling, trembling wrecks. Ruby, honestly, was no surprise. The woman was a stick of unstable dynamite, ready to explode herself at the slightest move. Freddie though - the one who’d received the demon’s mark - was not supposed to be like this.   
  
“Hold on you three,” Iann said, pointing at them all. He pivoted on his heel, heading to the incinerator. “There are three chalk circles on the floor, each of them overlapping. You three must remain in your circle. You can step into the overlap, but not into the other person’s circle. You can hold hands if you like, but nothing more. Freddie, you’ll have to use your normal, ah, hand to hold onto Ephram. Preferably him in between the two of you, hm? No hugging, no kissing, no reaching out - _no matter_ how much anyone seems to need it.” Iann pulled the iron brand from the incinerator, the end of it glowing red hot. He looked at the three of them. “Oh and - try and think some happy thoughts. Ah - preferably a memory of the three of you, happy, you know? Thrilled. Good times. When was that? What was the last time you three had fun together? Can anyone remember?” Iann asked, like a teacher asking his classroom.  
  
Ruby looked at the circles on the floor, her face settling now into a grim determination. Beneath, however, she was a mass of nerves, trembling from head to toe. But she would stand there and not move an inch, no matter what. “That first night…” she said, looking over at Freddie. “When we were all… together…”  
  
Ephram muttered darkly to himself, his words starting to circle around and around in a chatter of random sentence fragments before he caught himself. His face flushed, he strode over to the circles and took up his own place. “In the hotel room,” he agreed, in his normal voice. “I mean, I slept through most of it, but it was good. Safe.”  
  
Freddie took a deep breath, marshaling the strength he had left that was still untainted by the demon, by his fatigue, and by his own insecurity. He tried to remember who he was - or who he thought he was - and squared his shoulders stepping into the appropriate circle. “Every morning I wake up with the two of you, I’m happy,” he said quietly. Firmly. “In spite of all this, every morning, I wake up the same.”  
  
Ruby was left standing on her own, watching the two men she loved take their place in the circles. She looked between the two of them, remembered every good thing they’d ever made her feel, remembered that she was worth something to them, and that she loved them and they loved her. With a shuddering breath, Ruby stepped slowly to her own circle.  
  
“Good, good,” Iann murmured encouragingly, putting his goggles back over his eyes. If only so he could stare more closely at Ephram as Iann approached him. The three of them stood tall, a pretty trio even exhausted and slick from the heat. Three ducks in a row, and one of them waiting for the slaughter, so to speak. “Keep thinking about that, hm? Ruby? Freddie? I need the two of you to talk about how you feel about Ephram, all the good things you love about the man. Say it out loud, let him hear it…” Iann stared at the golden brand, the way it roiled and shivered once Ephram stood in his circle. This wasn’t a normal brand Iann knew, and he had to do it perfectly. He approached carefully, having never branded someone before, at least not like this. Iann had to watch Ephram closely. In their circles, everyone was reasonably safe enough. Iann remained outside of the three links though, and he had to be careful.  
  
Ruby reached for Ephram’s hand as Iann approached. “I fell in absolutely in love with him even after I told myself I’d never love anyone ever again.”  
  
Freddie turned to look at Ephram. “He’s the first person I ever loved who felt the same. The first time he ever told me he loved me, it stopped my heart in my chest.”  
  
“He’s how my life should’ve been from the very beginning…”  
  
“He’s looks at me like I’m better than I am. Calls me things like sweetpea, and baby, and honeypie, and every time he does, I love him a little bit harder for it.”  
  
“When he called me his wife, my only thought was 'Dear God, let me be worthy of him…”  
  
Freddie swallowed hard. “He asked me to share his life like I actually deserve a place in it. Like he’s the one who’s lucky to have _me_ ….”  
  
Ephram had been staring unblinking at the iron in the fire since they’d moved into the circles, his breathing fast and just the other side of panicked, toes curling and uncurling against the floor. But with each utterance from Ruby and Freddie, a little of the fear and horror seeped from his posture, his muscles. “Yeah,” he rasped. “Yeah, Jesus, the both’ve you mean more to me than … fuck, just about anything. Cain’t even put it in words. Like being given Heaven on earth.”  
  
“He’s loved me even when I couldn’t love myself…”  
  
“He makes me happy. In ways I didn’t know I could be.”  
  
“Awww. So lovely, so great! it’s fucking great, hm?” Iann said, addressing Ephram directly, as if it was just a room with him and the witch, and the lovely recordings of Freddie and Ruby echoing around them. Unending words of love, floating around him and surrounding Ephram in a miasma of sorts.  
  
Ruby threaded her fingers tightly with Ephram’s, her own eyes watching the brand. “I’d take all his pain… if I could… I’d give up most anything to save him one more second of hurt…”  
  
Ephram looked at the both of them now, with sweat drawing his hair into darkened points and dripping from his bearded chin, body strained but no longer cramped into its more frightened anticipation. “I never thought,” he gulped, “never thought there’d ever be a fuckin’ end to–”  
  
Iann jabbed the brand right over the golden one, with a chummy pat on the shoulder.  
  
Immediately the air stank of sickening char and barbeque, like pork but also like sulphur and another deeper, stink. Over that was another scent though, one light and golden, like sweet honey or sunshine on a spring day. Iann’s patting turned into a grip as he squared his jaw, keeping the brand planted firmly on Ephram’s hip. Iann was counting, it seemed, up to fifteen before he released the witch and staggered a few steps back. His eyes never left Ephram’s face, watching the witch carefully. “Keep a hold of him! No matter what happens you two. Keep a hold of him, nice and tight.”  
  
Freddie watched in horror as the brand made contact with Ephram’s skin, his hand feeling like it was on fire, and he grabbed up Ephram’s free hand, holding it like the world would end if he let go. Which, for all he knew, it might.  
  
Ruby flinched, a startled yelp leaving her even as she tried to hold it in. The smell nearly made her gag, but she did as Iann said and held tight, her other hand gripping Ephram by the bicep as she stayed carefully inside her own circle. Her hair stuck in sweaty rivulets to her neck and chest, but she held him tight. And waited.  
  
Iann darted forward and reached through the circles, chopping Ruby’s hand away from Ephram’s bicep as he glared at her. “Just holding hands!” he hissed. “Nothing else, Ruby. Just fucking hold his hand.” He darted back again, watching Ephram, nodding at Freddie. Ruby snatched her hand away, terrified that she’d forgotten. She held it behind her so she wouldn’t be tempted again.  
  
Ephram had risen up onto his toes, eyes going wide, wide blue and wild, his hands snapping open in theirs with stiff splayed fingers. He opened his mouth and soft gagging sounds came from it, a sound of being choked with something, and then he rocked back down. Normal, for a moment. But then Ephram’s feet turned until he was standing on the very outsides of them, his belly rapidly going concave with the force of his breathing – no, panting was more like it, feral and inhuman – and then he lurched forward again, onto the tips of his toes. “Let go!” Ephram shouted, then again so that blood flecked his lips. “LET ME FUCKING GO!”  
  
Freddie held Ephram tighter, squeezing so hard he ground the bones in his lover’s hand. “No, love,” he said, “No-one’s letting go.”  
  
Ruby knew. That this wasn’t Ephram. Her grip turned to iron, so tight she felt the bones in her hand creak. “Hold on to him, Freddie!” she screamed across the circle.  
  
“No - no no NO - don’t let him go, you two. Happy thoughts! Your fucking happy thoughts - keep a hold of his hand and don’t let go…” Iann’s eyes fell to Freddie’s other hand, his demon-marked hand, realizing belatedly that Ephram wasn’t the only one he needed to keep an eye on. “You’re doing good Freddie Watts. Just hang in there. Hang on to Pettaline, both of you. He’s all that - all that love stuff you guys talked about, hm? Keep him up. Keep him standing.”  
  
Ruby struggled under Ephram’s weight, afraid to use more than one hand to hold him with. “We’re not goin’ nowhere,” she said, teeth gritted even though her voice shook.  
  
Shaking so hard that his teeth clattered, Ephram wrenched around in their grips, his fingers curling back down to hold their hands again. “Ruby,” he grunted through his bitten lips. “Freddie, Ruby, Freddie, oh God–” He started choking again as Anaxis rode up his throat, then swirled back down. For a moment Ephram didn’t know why, but it became all to clear in the next moment. Anaxis was swerving towards Freddie, to the mark in his fairy’s hand, to raise it as a weapon. “Freddie, it’s coming, Jesus Christ Freddie–!” Ephram’s voice rose in a howl, unable to warn Freddie what was coming.  
  
Freddie’s burnt hand felt like it was ripping apart and burning into char all at once, but still he held on. He was still holding on when he started to scream.  
  
“Ruby do not touch Freddie,” Iann shouted at her as he came over to where Freddie started to wail. “Keep concentrating on Ephram. Do it, look at Ephram, Ruby.”  
  
Freddie couldn’t see anymore, or hear - there was nothing beyond the buzzing of flies - and dimly, distantly he wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay on his feet. He’d never felt this kind of pain before, and his knees were starting to sway.  
  
Ruby looked at Iann. Christ the man had known exactly what she was going to do. “Fuck…” she said to herself, eyes flicking to Freddie for a split second. She would have to trust him to handle his end. Ruby did as Iann said. “Ephram… Ephram, I ain’t lettin’ go, you hear me?” She felt something small and delicate snap in her hand, like the breaking of a flower stem. But she still held on. “Ephram, fight him… fight him! Jesus, Iann what’s happening to him?!” She meant Freddie, even though her eyes remained steadfastly on Ephram. Tears ran down her cheeks, but she made no move to dash them away.  
  
Ephram moaned, watching Freddie from haggard eyes. “Hold on, baby, just you hold on and don’t let the goddamn demon take any part of you.” His voice rose and fell in a cadence, a mountain preacher, as words streamed from him: “It ain’t something what can take hold of you, just tell it that, Freddie, tell it that the Devil has no home in you, tell it that you’re loved and you’re precious in the eyes of creation! Freddie, Freddie, come on sweetheart don’t let it–” He stopped, coughing, and when he spoke next it was in Anaxis’ cultured, oily tones, full of twisting mockery. “Freddie, Freddie, oh Freddie! Let’s see what kind of swing you’ve got on you, Jack Dempsey. And if you’re good I’ll make you jerk yourself off as a reward. Ever felt a demon brand on your cock? It’s _soooooo_ good, Freddie, like fucking a baby into Ruby!”  
  
Ruby jerked Ephram’s hand as hard as she could, though it sent fire through her own. “Don’t talk to him, you cunt, talk to me! You hear? We got business that ain’t been finished.”  
  
“Ruby for christ’s sake! DO NOT TALK TO THE DEMON!” Iann screamed at her.  
  
“Ephram!” she screamed, heeding Iann’s warning - Christ, she was gonna fuck this up, she was gonna make it worse, be the reason it failed… - “talk to me! Fight him, baby! It’s almost done. He cain’t hurt you no more. He cain’t do nothin’ that we don’t let him do.” She wanted to scream out to Freddie so badly, but she didn’t.  
  
Through the buzz of the flies, Freddie thought for a moment that he could hear Ephram and Ruby before Anaxis cut through louder, spinning that buzz into the voice that Freddie remembered from his near crucifixion, and he grit his teeth against it trying to force it out of his head.  
  
Ephram’s head swung heavily in Ruby’s direction, the twisted expression warring with Ephram’s own. “Ruby,” he said, forcing her name through grimaced teeth, “Scarlett, you gonna take care of me after this? In our lil house all three of us together?”  
  
“Yes,” she said breathlessly, “all of us. You, an’ me, and Freddie. I’ll wash your hair and Freddie can cook and at night we’ll all lay out under the stars before we go in to bed…”  
  
Iann came over to inspect Freddie’s burned hand, coldly ignoring the poor fairy’s agonized wails. He didn’t touch the burned hand either, but instead just watched it, then looked up at Freddie, then back at the hand. Licking his lips, Iann started to speak to the fairy and to Ruby. “It’s using his mark as a conduit. The demon’s at its most powerful right now, but it’s a limited power. Freddie, you need to release whatever’s gathering in your hand. All that pain and sorrow that’s gathered there, everything Anaxis is drawing from you is being collected there - okay? Freddie, you have to release all of it. Freddie!"  
  
Iann looked around him, and backed up, grabbing an battery-operated bone saw from a side table. Iann sidled back towards Freddie, hoping the fairy would take the cue - see the bone saw and make his conclusions. Really, if Freddie couldn’t find a way to release that energy, Iann was determined to lop his hand off at the wrist. Not that he wanted to, but it had to be Freddie’s choice to expel the negative pain in some other method. If that meant the threat of amputation, then so be it. Hopefully it just meant Freddie would…punch something? Use fairy dust? Iann didn’t know what, but he needed it to come from Freddie in order to be effective. Iann got close enough to the fairy, but hadn’t switched the instrument on just yet. "Freddie? Release the pain. Do it, Freddie.”  
  
Freddie could hear Ruby now, faint, like she was lost in a tunnel - but there. Real, and he clung to her voice, even as the demon ripped through his memories trying to demolish him from the inside out. The pain dropped him down to one knee, tears that he wasn’t aware of streaming down his face, but still he kept hold of Ephram’s hand. "Iann?“ he sobbed, as his friend’s voice broke through. Ephram squirmed, looking down at his hip; the brand was leaking, starting to cobweb black through the bloody, bruised skin. “Fuck,” Ephram breathed.  
  
He took up the refrain too, pushing his thumb against Ruby’s wrist to encourage her as well. "You gotta expel it, honey, you gotta do something to force Anaxis out of your hand where it marked you. It’s like gangrene, baby, and if you don’t get it out Iann’s gonna cut you. And then Ruby and me are gonna be mighty pissed because we want you with both your hands, Freddie, or we’re gonna have to fight it out who gets to hold the one you got left.”  
  
Iann knelt, looking up as Ephram seemed to encourage Freddie, then back at the struggling fairy. “Freddie - you’re not that interesting. You’re not really that special, hm? You’re not even particularly useful in this venture. You’re just sort of like a deadweight to keep Ephram grounded. That’s why I’m using you for this. Ruby’s the important one in this, but you? You’re just a thing. Don’t forget that you have a purpose and you need to fucking see that purpose through, you stupid fucking fairy. You can’t even do that and you think you’re going to manage three fucking relationships? Are you fucking kidding me? You can’t even manage yourself, never mind them. So just do this one goddamn thing, just this one thing and you can go fly off, fly away from Soapberry to some new adventure. But do this first, or else you’re never going to get away from all this bullshit. C'mon Mr Watts. Hm? What do you say?”  
  
The cacophony in his head almost too much to stand - screaming and buzzing and too many voices - Freddie clenched his ruined hand into a fist, and rose back up onto his feet, wrenching his eyes open and throwing a wild punch at Iann’s jaw, connecting with a terrible sounding crack.   
  
Ephram looked at Ruby as Iann continued his tirade. It hurt to hear Freddie berated like that – Cardero sure as fuck knew where to hit – but Ephram understood the need to try every angle they had. If it could help Freddie, Ephram himself would call him every cussword from here to the ocean. But he and Ruby had their own way; she’d given Ephram enough strength to pull himself from the demon miasma. “Freddie, I–” The words stuck in Ephram’s throat when Freddie dropped Iann where he stood. Iann flew backwards from the unnatural force of the punch, teeth crunching into his tongue in a burst of pain. But really that was the last thing Iann felt as he stumbled and dropped like a sack of potatoes, completely knocked out on the concrete floor.  
  
Ruby redoubled her efforts towards Ephram. “Look at me… tell me what out house is gonna look like, yeah? Yours, mine, and Freddie’s.”  
  
Ephram grabbed Ruby out of her circle instead of answering right away. The black web throbbing under his skin had sucked away as if down a drain, the demon letting go, and he fell to his knees next to Freddie, wrapping an arm around him. “We’ll have a house full of sunshine, right, honey?” Ephram said gently, stroking Freddie’s hair. “So’s it catches on those glorious wings of yours. So’s we can crowd into a hammock with you and eat honey and oranges.”  
  
With every word, Anaxis was ebbing, and Ephram gingerly picked up Freddie’s hand. It was still scorched, but the venomous black was swirling, confused, weak.  
  
Freddie’s eyes were open, but he still couldn’t see. Everything was too bright, too much, and he was so, so fucking tired; his chest heaving as he tried to breathe through the sobs still wracking his body, the pain slowly leeching away.  
  
Ruby felt something give, and as Ephram pulled her down to the floor, all she could do was nod, her sobs finally overcoming her. She wrapped an arm around Freddie and Ephram’s shoulders, pulling them both to her and pressing fierce kisses to their crowns. “Christ in Heaven….” she said between great sucking breathes of air. Pain flared bright white in the hand that had held so tightly to Ephram’s, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t about to let go of either of them.  
  
Ephram watched them both quietly, letting them all have a chance to catch their breath. His hip was throbbing, and it would get worse before it got better, but he felt more clear-headed. And the mark on Freddie’s hand didn’t have that prickling demon feel to it, even though bits of the black lines still moved around in Freddie’s palm. “You okay?” he asked, kissing Freddie’s temple. “You awright in there, sweetheart?”  
  
Freddie looked up, finally able to focus on Ephram’s face, and nodded, still struggling to breathe. “I’m here,” he choked out, “…I’m…yeah…I’m here…”  
  
Ephram felt a hot bloom of relief in his chest when Freddie was able to talk, kissing his head over and over. But there was still one thing to take care of. “Scarlett, can you tend to him for a minute? I’m gonna go see if Iann’s okay.” He kissed Ruby, too, sweaty skin sliding against hers, then rose stiffly to hobble over to Iann.  
  
Freddie’s eyes followed Ephram, not entirely sure what had happened, or what _was_ happening. “What…did I…oh God…”  
  
Ruby's hands brushed the sweat-drenched hair back from Freddie’s brow. “Is he alright?” she called quietly to Ephram. "No… no, not you. Hush, now… it’s alright…“ she soothed down at Freddie.  
  
Iann’s eyes flew open the moment Ephram’s hand pressed against his chest, and he immediately made a face at the looming, sweaty man. "You better not be Anaxis and this better not be hell…” Iann said sourly, although his words were a little loose and warbly as he tried to sit up. Christ, he hated pain. He looked behind Pettaline, at Ruby and Freddie, then back up at Ephram. “You guys gonna be okay?” The brand worked, Iann knew it had to have worked, but…the cost was a whole other matter. Still, despite his slightly nauseated wooziness, Iann’s brain was still chugging along, still grimly all-business. “We need to do the third seal as soon as possible. I think I know how to do it, but. I’ll need a couple days…”  
  
“I think we all will.” Ephram patted Iann’s shoulder and manhandled him up, setting him awkwardly against a coldcase so the man wouldn’t fall down again. “Freddie’s gonna be fine, right? I wanna get the both of these home soon as I can.” He looked over at Ruby and Freddie, a fierce love and possessiveness in his eyes. Iann was hurt but it was pretty clear where Ephram’s concerns lay.  
  
Freddie sagged back down into Ruby’s lap from where he’d been struggling to sit up, grateful to hear Iann’s voice. “Christ,” he wheezed, “I thought I’d killed you, mate… Are you alright?”  
  
“You did kill me, I’m a fucking ghost of Christmas past…” Iann groused, dribbling blood. He spat in his glove absently, then hobbled off for a few moments into one of the other partitioned rooms in the rat warren of a basement. When Iann returned he had three Klondikes, ice cream bars enrobed in dark chocolate. “Take them, eat them,” Iann instructed them all. “The sugar will be good for you and the chocolate will calm you."  
  
Iann got dizzy, and had to sit against table, but he blinked slowly, looking down at Freddie’s hand. Questions. "Freddie still has the demon’s mark on him, good. But it’s diminished…also good. And your brand–?” Iann looked over at Ephram. “Christ, that looks sick, hombre. But it’ll heal. Take care of it and let it heal, okay?” He looked over at Ruby last. “And you - I think one of your fingers is broken. Get a cast or a brace on it.” He waved his hand tiredly. “Yeah - yeah I’ll tell you everything I know when I get all the information gathered. For now you all eat your ice creams! Eat them. And get out of here, go puppy pile on a bed for three days. I should have everything ready by then.”  
  
Ephram couldn’t help but snort at Iann’s outburst, balling up his ice cream wrapper and throwing it at the shopkeeper before slowly, painstakingly pulling his clothes on. “C'mon, you'ns,” he said to his two lovers, bedraggled as tiny chicks. “Let’s all go take the man’s advice. I feel like I don’t wanna let go of neither of you for at least three days.”  
  
Freddie smiled, getting to his feet slowly, and painfully, holding out his hand to Iann before he could turn himself over to Ephram and Ruby. “Thank-you,” he said softly, “I think I owe you favors for the next hundred years, darling.” He then took Ruby and Ephram’s hands. “A very wise woman once told me, "Take me to bed, or lose me forever”, and I think that about sums it up, don’t you? Let’s go home, loves. Please.”  
  
Iann took it in stride, giving Freddie a grim, painful smirk as he shook Freddie’s hand. “Good. I like the idea of you owing me, big boy,” Iann said. He wasn’t expecting any thanks at all, but this was a strange change of pace. Trust Freddie to initiate his gratitude. “And after I lambasted you so thoroughly…let’s just call this one even hm? We’ll get that demon mark out of you yet. Come by later, I might have a special wrap for it."  
  
He waved them all to go, take each other home, and have a brief moment of happy before things went to shit again. Inevitably.


End file.
